COMA seems to always have two sets with two ensembles, mostly jazzy but sometimes exploratory classical. Presumably with frequent connection to the Elder Con. But it can feature others, including various Euro musicians coming to Smiths Alt in coming weeks. Nice. And these nights are recorded, audio and video, and published to YouTube. An impressive feat and warmly welcoming in a very musical pub with its own range of house-brewed bears. Set 2 this night was the Bailey Hall quartet, reportedly contemporary jazz compositions exploring fun grooves, tasteful melodies and entertaining improvisation. This was intense, not so easily visited but wonderfully capably played, precise lines, unison and otherwise, twisted, of various counts, often suddenly changing then returning. Either they read superbly well or they had done some considerable work. Some swing, some grooves, 6s and 4s, did I count 9? I wasn't too sure, expansive and rapid tenor solos, dense with screeds of notes and mobile harmonies, against a fascinating chordal guitar accompaniment and solos, dirty, edgy distortion on something like a Gibson 335 into a Twin Reverb or similar Fender with a distinct bluesy edge but far more inventive. The yellow bass amp was Mark Bass and that belonged to the venue; perhaps the Fender did too. A twisted 4/4 hint at blues and 6/8 with precise bass lines and unexpected fills, and another with floating dirty dissonances, desperate moving guitar and floating tensions. Great PA tones, too. Some truly capable playing from four graduates out of the Elder Con in the last 5/6 years.
Bailey Hill (drums) led a quartet with Lachlan McGargill (tenor, soprano saxes), Jack willsmore (guitar) and Tasha Stevens (bass) for COMA (Creative Original Music Adelaide) at The Wheatsheaf Hotel (The Wheatie).
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